Russian leader Putin expresses hope for avoiding nuclear weapon deployment in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine
Rewritten Article:
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has stated that using nuclear weapons in Ukraine is not necessary at the moment and expressed hope it won't be. During an interview for a Russian state television film about his 25-year rulership, Putin revealed that Russia has the capability to bring the Ukraine conflict to a close according to its preferences. commenting on Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, Putin stated, "we haven't had a reason to use such weapons...and I hope it won't come to that."
Addressing a question about the likelihood of nuclear weapons intervention, Putin asserted, "We have enough strength and means to bring what started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires." This statement arrived after Putin signed a revamped version of Russia's nuclear doctrine in November 2024, which outlined circumstances that allowed him to employ atomic weapons, including in response to a conventional attack backed by a nuclear power.
Putin also stated in the film that Russia did not launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2014, when it illegally annexed Crimea, because it was "practically unrealistic." Instead, he claimed Russia "sincerely sought to solve the problem of Donbas by peaceful means." Putin further expressed optimism about reconciliation with Ukraine, stating it as "inevitable."
However, Russia and Ukraine remain at odds regarding competing ceasefire proposals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes a ceasefire is possible if Russia is truly eager to end the conflict, asserting, "Putin is very eager to show off his tanks at the (Victory Day) parade," but he should think about ending his war." Zelenskyy has criticized Russia's proposal of a 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine to mark Victory Day in World War II, stating that Moscow continues to launch attacks despite publicly signaling interest in a partial truce.
Zelenskyy continues to support a more substantial 30-day pause in hostilities and has expressed deep skepticism over Russia's claims of humanitarian motivations for the truce. During a joint news conference with Czech President Petr Pavel, Zelenskyy thanked the Czech Republic for backing Ukraine's call for a 30-day ceasefire and discussed future aviation coalition developments, including the potential creation of an F-16 training school.
Meanwhile, attacks on Ukraine continue. A Russian drone attack overnight on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, wounded 11 people, including two children. Valentyna Fesiuk, an 83-year-old resident of Kyiv's Obolon district described the attack, "I was just sleeping when the house shook. It was at 12:30. An apartment on the 12th floor caught fire." Viacheslav Khotab, another resident, saw his car burning and lamented stalled peace negotiations, "They can't agree on anything, and we are the ones who suffer the consequences." Daryna Kravchuk, an 18-year-old student, recounted the terrifying experience, "Five to six minutes after the air raid was activated, we heard a strong impact, everything started shaking. ... There were three strikes almost in a row after the air raid was activated."
Two people were killed by Russian guided bombs in the Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions, and Russia fired a total of 165 exploding drones and decoys overnight, according to Ukrainian air force data. Of those, 69 were intercepted, and 80 likely lost, likely due to electronic jamming. Russia also launched two ballistic missiles. Russia's Defense Ministry, however, claimed its air defenses shot down 13 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Insights:
- On May 15, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected to hold bilateral negotiations in Turkey regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine (Source: Reuters).
- European officials believe that a comprehensive ceasefire should precede peace negotiations and oppose Russian demands that they consider tantamount to full Ukrainian surrender (Source: Reuters).
- Ukrainian forces have made recent advances near Toretsk, while Russian forces have advanced in the northern Kharkiv and Novopavlivka directions, indicating ongoing military tensions alongside diplomatic efforts (Source: Reuters).
- The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has stated that nuclear weapons in the context of the Ukraine conflict aren't currently necessary and expressed hope they won't be used, but he asserted Russia has the capability to bring the conflict to a close according to its preferences, possibly implying a role for military strength in politics and general news related to war-and-conflicts.
- Addressing the likelihood of nuclear weapons intervention, Putin asserted that Russia has the strength and means to bring the ongoing conflict to its desired conclusion, a reference to politics and general news, particularly war-and-conflicts and world events.
- Despite ongoing military tensions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to support a more substantial 30-day pause in hostilities, advocating for diplomatic negotiations over conflict, reflecting his involvement in politics and general news related to Ukrainian affairs and world peace.
